SToffte^lust 





Q 


Q 


r\ / 


o 


oO 




- dwAai- 


to 


o 
o 






oO 




S 










o 


cO 


r» J 








CV? 


lO 








O 


q 


OJ 


iO 




lO 1 

r\ 7 I 

s~ 1 




\jj 


oO 




*-Q 


on 


oO 1 




of) 


CD 






cO 




S 

& 


XT 


& 

i 

1 — 


§ 

8 

i — • 

4 


r s 

5 < 
•< a, 

O cvi 

& 

5 

>7D 


& 

a 
o 

I 

( — *s 
■J 


X 

< * 

O 
• 1 



INVENTED BY 

ELLIOTT LYNCH 



Rules and Principles 
With Score Card 



NEW YORK 

Edgar Printing and Stationery Co. 
68 West 39th Street 



Copyright 1910-15-16-18 
By Elliott Lynch 
All Rights Reserved 



Of T 22 1318 

©CI.A50 7118 



PREFACE 

As there is a similarity in all card games 
of the Whist family, there is no attempt to 
present to the card playing public an en- 
tirely new game; but to build upon the 
grand old game of Whist, a speculative bid- 
ding game, that will preserve the science of 
Whist, with the added interest that com- 
petetive bidding for the trump gives, to 
modern card games; and to formulate a 
score that will equalize the trump values of 
the several suits. 

There has been developed, a scientific 
method of bidding for the trump in Auction 
that has become as firmly established as the 
leads in Whist; and, to be used in all games 
of cards, that employ a speculative bidding 
system to make the trump. 

This system is used in Bridge, and in a 
modified form in Five Hundred. 

In Joffre the Auction system is used in 
bidding for the trump. 

Jan. 1918. ElLI0TT LyNCH ' 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES 



Joff re- Whist is a speculative bidding game, 
played with a full pack of 52 cards, by four 
players, two partners against two partners. 

The two most important matters in J off re- 
Whist are, to make the best use of any 
combination of cards that you may hold, and 
to give information to your partner. 

The values of the suits have been ar- 
ranged for bidding; spades and diamonds 
are placed below clubs and hearts as they 
contain Joffre, which more nearly equalizes 
their trump value. 

The following principles and rules, inso- 
far as they relate to the playing of the game, 
are taken from Whist, with such changes 
as Joffre- Whist calls for, and are given in 
a concise form, so as to be convenient for 
the Joffre student. 

All Whist rules and leads govern Joffre, 
except where otherwise stated. 

Play as in Whist; cut and deal as in 
Whist; cards rank Ace high to Duce low. 
A hand void of honors calls for a new deal. 
6 



MAKING TRUMPS 

Players bid to make the trump, announc- 
ing the suit they bid on. 

Dealer starts by bidding one or more, 
according to the number of tricks he can 
win over six, or passes to player on left. 

Each player has the opportunity of bid- 
ding, doubling, or passing; or raising part- 
ner's bid. 

Bidding is closed on reaching the highest 
bid. 

Players making trump, failing to score the 
number of tricks bid, opponents score Re- 
versed Tricks. 

DOUBLING 
A player may double his adversary's bid 
but once. 

You cannot double your partner's bid. 

A bid doubled reopens the bidding. 

Doubling, doubles the trick score only; 
it does not change the value of the Honor 
or Joffre score. 

A suil doubled, reversed, doubles the re- 
versed trick score. 

7 



BIDS 



Bids are to win the trump and to inform 
your partner what you hold in your hand. 

The dealer may bid or pass. 

To win the trump a player must bid a 
higher suit or a greater number of tricks. 

If the dealer passes, the second player 
should bid as though he was the dealer. 

Bid on the suit that will win the greater 
number of tricks regardless of value. 

A singleton is worth one trick. 

A suit void is worth two tricks. 

Your original bid should be all the suit 
is worth. 

ORIGINAL BIDS ON NO TRUMP 

A bid of one means three suits protected. 
A bid of two means four suits protected. 

ORIGINAL BIDS ON SUITS 

A bid of one means five to the Ace or 
King. 

A bid of two means six to the Ace or 
King. 

8 



A bid of three means seven to the Ace 
or King. 

Suit bids to have some outside strength. 
ORIGINAL BIDS ON TRUMP ATTACK 

A bid of one means five to the Ace or 
King and two suits protected. 

A bid of two means six to the Ace or 
King and two suits protected. 

A bid of three means seven to the Ace or 
King and two suits protected. 

ORIGINAL BIDS ON JOFFRE TRUMP- 
ATTACK 

A bid of one means five to the Ace or 
King, two suits protected, and control of 
the 10 of diamonds and 2 of spades. 

A bid of two means six to the Ace or 
King, two suits protected, and control of 
the 10 of diamonds and 2 of spades. 

A bid of three means seven to the Ace 
or King, two suits protected, and control of 
the 10 of diamonds and 2 of spades. 

Increase your original bid on outside 
tricks only. 

9 



Holding less than two cards in the suit 
your partner is bidding on, bid on your 
strongest suit to inform your partner your 
weakness in his suit. 

Do not raise your partner's bid unless 
you hold two or more cards in his suit and 
two outside tricks. 

Outside tricks are aces and kings. 

Pass when your adversaries bid on a suit 
that you are strong in. 

When four players pass, the game is 
played no trump. 

NO TRUMP 

Bid on a No Trump when you hold three 
suits protected; two aces and a guarded 
king; three aces; with the longest suit in 
any of the above combinations containing 
four cards; the same combination of cards 
with five in one suit would be a trump at- 
tack bid. 

As a No Trump is an informatory bid, 
your partner must take you out by bidding 
on his longest suit. 

10 



No Trump is a hand that contains strength 
without length. 

TRUMP ATTACK 

Players bidding on trump attack must 
name the suit they bid on; example: one 
trump attack on Clubs; two trump attack on 
Hearts, etc. 

A trump attack on any suit raises the 
score value of that suit to 15. 

In trump attack all suits have the same 
bidding value. 

Bid for a trump attack when you have 
Two very strong suits, 
Three suits protected, 
Two aces and a guarded king, 
Three aces. 

Bid on the suit that will force out trumps 
and establish your plain suits. 

The suit you attack must contain more 
than four cards. 

Partners making trump attack must open 
with trumps, when it is their turn to lead, 
and must lead three rounds of trumps before 
11 



changing to a plain suit, unless adversaries 
trumps are exhausted. 

Trump attack is a hand that contains 
length with strength. 

JOFFRE-TRUMP ATTACK 
Players bidding on Joffre-Trump Attack, 
bid to win both Joffre, and the number of 
tricks bid. 

If successful, declarant scores the number 
of tricks won and Joffre; failing to win 
the number of tricks bid and Joffre; or 
failing to win Joffre, but winning the num- 
ber of tricks bid; or failing to win the 
number of tricks bid, but winning Joffre; 
declarant does not score for tricks or Joffre; 
but adversaries score double declarant's bid 
and Joffre. 

Bid for a Joffre-Trump Attack when you 
hold complete control of spades and dia- 
monds, or holding the 10 of diamonds and 
2 of spades protected and a strong hand. 

A Joffre-Trump Attack on any suit raises 
the score value of that suit to 20. 

Player on left of maker leads. 

12 



HONORS 

Trump Honors are: Ace, King, Queen and 
Jack of Trumps, and score the partners 
taking them in, in tricks. 

Jacks are Trump honors in No Trump. 

Royal honors are four Aces, four Kings, 
four Queens, and four Jacks, and score the 
partners taking them in, in tricks. 

A hand void of Honors calls for a new 
deal. 

JOFFRE 

JofFre is formed by combining the 10 of 
diamonds and 2 of spades and scores the 
partners winning thefn. 

No score for split Joffre. 

The score for Joffre is 15 points. 

In Joff re-Trump Attack the score is 50 
points. 

LEADS 

Leads are to secure treks and to inform 
your partner what you hold in the suit. 

ACE LEAD 
Ace, and four cards, lead the ace. 
Ace, Queen, Jack and others, lead the Ace. 
13 



KING LEAD 
Ace, King and other, lead the King. 
King, Queen and other, lead the King. 

QUEEN LEAD 
Queen, Jack, Ten and other, lead the 
Queen. 

Queen, Jack, Nine and other, lead the 

Queen. 

JACK LEAD 
King, Queen, Jack and others, lead the 
Jack. 

Jack, Ten and others, lead the Jack. 

TEN LEAD 
King, Jack, Ten and other, lead the Ten. 
Ten, Nine and other, lead the Ten. 

SINGLETON LEAD 
When you have neither an Ace or King 
lead, lead a Singleton. 

SMALL CARD LEAD 
Lead your fourth best in the longest suit 
that has an honor. 

14 



SHORT SUITS 

A short suit contains less than four cards. 

In a short suit without an honor, lead 
the highest card. 

Never lead a short suit, if you have four 
trumps, unless your trumps are weak. 

LONG SUITS 

A long suit contains more than four cards. 
In a long suit without an honor lead the 
highest card. 

LEADING FROM A SEQUENCE 

A sequence is composed of two or more 
cards with at least two honors that touch, as: 
Ace, King, Queen, 
King, Queen, Jack, 
Queen, Jack, Ten. 
Lead the highest card, followed by the 
lowest. 

TENACE 

A tenace is composed of the best and third 
best card of any suit; let the suit come up 
to you and finesse with the third best card, 
15 



by playing it, and hold the best card td 
control the suit. 

Never finesse your partner's lead; play 
your best card. 

GENERAL HINTS 

Open with trumps, if you hold five or 
more. 

Play at l&ast two rounds of a suit that 
you open, before switching to another suit 
unless you have reasons for changing. 

In a weak suit lead the highest card. 

When you lead a high card and do not 
follow with another high card, lead your 
fourth best. 

If you hold the best card of your part* 
ner's suit, lead it before opening your own. 

On the second round of any plain suh% 
play the best card, if you hold it. 

Lead your highest card when returning 
your partner's suit. 

Do not return a suit in which your partner 
leads a "warning" card (Eight to Jack 
inclusive) . 

16 



Never lead up to a strong adverse hand. 

Never lead trumps up to the maker. 

Never lead low from an ace in opening 
a suit, unless the ace is the only honor and 
less than five in suit. 

Lead fourth best or low from a King or 
Queen in opening a suit that does not con- 
tain a King or Queen lead. 

Lead through strength up to weakness. 

DISCARDING 

Discard from your longest suit, if the ad- 
versaries lead trumps. 

In all other leads, discard from your 
short suit. 

Discard unguarded Honors and Joffre on 
your partner's tricks, as they score the 
partners winning them. 

An original discard of an 8 or higher 
card from an unopened suit is a preemptory 
call for trumps. 

RULE OF ELEVEN 
This rule applies when the lead is from 
fourth best of a suit. 

17 



Deduct from eleven the number of spots 
on the card led, the remainder will show 
how many cards higher than the one led 
are out against the leader. 

ENCOURAGING AND DISCOURAGING 
CARDS 

Your partner leading an Ace or King and 
you wish him to continue with that suit, 
play a high card, seven, eight or nine; if 
you wish him to switch to another suit, play 
a low card, two, three or four. 

TRUMP CALL 
The call for Trumps is by playing an 
unnecessarily high card followed by a lower 

card. 

Your partner playing a trump is a pre- 
emptory call for trumps. 

THE ECHO 
This is the play of a high card of the 
suit led, followed by a low card of the same 

suit. 

The echo indicates the desire to ruff. 
18 



RUBBER 

The rubber consists of winning two out 
of three games of 100 points. 

The winners of the rubber add 100 points 
to their score. 

If the first two games are won by the 
same players, the third game is not played. 

ROYAL RUBBER 

The royal rubber consists of winning two 
out of three rubbers. 

The winners of the Royal Rubber add 
300 points to their score. 

If the first two rubbers are won by the 
same players, the third rubber is not played. 

A revoke deducts 25 points. 

Game: — 100 Points. 



19 



JOFFRE- WHIST GAMES 

STRAIGHT JOFFRE 
Straight Joffre is played by the same 
partners throughout the game. 

CIRCUIT JOFFRE 
In playing Curcuit Joffre, partners are 
changed after each game of four hands, for 
three games. 

PROGRESSIVE JOFFRE 
Progressive Joffre is played with three or 

more tables. 

Partners scoring highest advance to the 
next table after each game of four hands. 

CIRCUIT-PROGRESSIVE- JOFFRE 
This is a combination of the above two 

games. 

Players keep individual scores, and pro- 
gress after three games of four hands. 

DUPLICATE JOFFRE 
Duplicate Joffre is played with duplicate 
boards, the sa me as Duplicate Whist. 
20 



On the original play the arrow points 
North, as each hand is played the maker 
turns up a trump card and returns the hand 
to the pocket of the tray, leaving the trump 
exposed for the return game. 

On the duplicate play, the arrow points 
East, and Hand "B" plays hand "A", and 
hand "A" plays hand "B". 

The location of the exposed card in each 
board locates the maker, and the trump to 
be played. 

DUMMY JOFFRE 

This game is for three players, the fourth 
hand (Dummy) is exposed. 

The winning bidder takes dummy and 
moves, if necessary, opposite the dummy 
hand. 

When the declaration is made and first 
card played by adversary on the left, the 
dummy hand is turned face up on the table. 



21 



= £00000000 



S3 

W 

o 



momomoyjo 

rH CO rf t> O vp 



{ N'^'^o 00 o n a 2s 



K 5 



(N CO ^ VO J> 

csi CO 10 vO 



I— I 

pS 

H 

o 



cOOOOOQOLO 

E rH 



> 



Scovo^fcsjocoo 

g f .. h N eo. W 



h eq co ^ 10 o i> a 

22 



WHAT TO AVOID IN PLAYING JOFFRE 

Avoid continually looking at your hand, keep 

your eyes on the table and note the 

cards played. 
Avoid holding trumps too long. 
Avoid over bidding your hand. 
Avoid overlooking the fact that you have a 

partner. 
Avoid forgetting the bids. 
Avoid passing a trick when you can take it, 

unless you have reasons for refusing 

it. 

Avoid misleading your partner by your bid- 
ding or your leads. 
Avoid sacrificing a trick to win JofFre. 
Avoid doing all the bidding. 
Avoid an original bid on a long weak suit. 
Avoid changing suits when opened. 
Avoid conversation during play. 



23 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



